China’s market regulator has accused US chip giant Nvidia of violating the country’s antitrust laws, escalating tensions between the two nations as they try to ease their trade war.
The regulator did not specify how Nvidia allegedly broke the rules but said it is continuing its investigation. The announcement comes as American and Chinese officials hold a second day of trade talks in Spain aimed at reducing friction between the world’s two largest economies.
After the talks, US President Donald Trump hinted that a deal had been reached with China to block a planned US ban on TikTok. The social media app faced a ban in the US unless it secured an American buyer.
The Madrid meetings were led by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng. “We had very good conversations,” Bessent said. “We focused on TikTok. We’ll resume trade talks again in about a month.”
Beijing and Washington last met in July when they agreed to extend their tariff truce by 90 days, until November 10. That deal reduced import taxes that had surged to over 100 percent on some goods.
China launched its probe into Nvidia last December. Analysts viewed the move as part of a broader backlash in the chip market as the US tightens export restrictions on Chinese firms, especially for high-end semiconductors.
The Madrid talks were also expected to address whether Nvidia’s chips would continue to be allowed into China. BBC reached out to Nvidia for comment but has not received a response.
Trump, who had previously pushed to ban TikTok during his first term, has softened his stance since the app grew popular during the 2024 presidential race. He has delayed the ban three times and recently posted on his Truth Social platform that a deal with a “specific company” had been reached to protect the app, which he said is beloved by American youth. “They will be very happy! I’ll speak with President Xi on Friday. This relationship is very strong!!” Trump wrote.
The current deadline for TikTok’s ban, set to expire Wednesday, is widely expected to be extended a fourth time. In August, the White House even launched its own official TikTok account. The app remains one of the world’s most widely used social platforms, with about 170 million users in the United States alone.
